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Khythn
In the deepest chasm and the darkest abyss, the Mother's many eyes fall upon us. It is beneath her eternal vigil that we prove we are never again prey. ''- An exerpt from the Widow Mother's prayer book'' History Geography Khythn'mizz'ryr Fungal Forest Obsidian Plains Charnel Barrows Pit of Az'gormir Eclipsed Sea Government Khythn is ruled at all times by a Queen, the current ruler being Queen Lascek'vei Shrev'red'ryc. Beside the Queen on her Silken Throne often sits a Consort and a Regent, but neither hold any true power. All decisions are made by the Queen or delegated to trusted advisors. While men may hold positions of power, it is an extremely rare occasion when one rises to the top of any organization. More than one token man in any form of power within a generation is seen as a great oddity. Economy Religion The Widow Mother While atheism is still (rarely) a belief in the Darklands, nearly every native puts their faith in the Widow Mother. Said to be a spider of such great size that the Darklands were formed out of her shed carapace, Khythians believe that every boon and bane is hers to bestow. The fact that the layout of the Darklands almost perfectly mirrors the shape of an enormous spider certainly lends weight to their claims. The clergy of the Widow Mother, or the Widows as they are known, are a two-fold organization outside their religious beliefs. Their most obvious contribution to the nation is their skill in raising, tending, and nuturing the spiders that serve as beasts of burden in Khythn. Carved exclusively from the immense stone pillars that stretch from floor to ceiling, cathedrals of the Widow Mother are unmistakable thanks to their open roofed design. It is a rare occasion that arachnid traffic on the ceiling of their churches is not just as busy as foot traffic from humanoids. The other, less immediately obvious, function of the church is their status as the nation's primary form of healthcare. All ill, injured, and infirm find themselves at the doors to the church of the Widow Mother sooner or later and few are turned away. Though any services provided by the church are free of charge, it is a social faux pas of the highest degree not to give something. The desperate and destitute are often forgiven of such cultural sins as their need is great. Culture Khythians consider social class first and all else second, with most every action taken by individuals and groups alike an effort to either increase or maintain one's social standing. The desire to ascend is a constant struggle that encourages a thinly veiled cutthroat society. To make overt, bloody plays for power is a taboo of the highest order, of course. Murders in the streets would only serve to destabilize Khythn. Only the Queen herself is allowed to crush would-be usurpers under her iron heel; all others must abide by the unwritten rules of Khythan decorum. Queenly Aspirations All Khythians hold lofty goals of lounging upon the Silken Throne with all the lux and pomp such a station should offer. With the church of the Widow Mother always accepting volunteers new and old, only the most downtrodden give up on trying to better their standing in some way. This eternal battle for dominion over one another in an effort to transcend castes is indoctrinated into Khythians practically from birth and serves to weed out weakness. Such deeply rooted desires come with a caveat, however. Men find their attempts to climb the power structure of Khythn quickly plateaus in most circumstances. One could say that, after a certain point, they hit a glass ceiling that is not present for women of equal standing. Warmongers Divine Sculptors Inhabitants Drow The most predominant denizens of the the nation of Khythn, drow have lived in the Darklands for as long as recorded history. If the size and strength of their nation is any indication, they will not be going anywhere anytime soon. Duergar After their flight into the Darklands thousands of years ago, what once was the dwarven clan of Gormir eventually became duergar. While it took years of brutal warfare, the Az'gormir clan was eventually recognized as a member of the nation of Khythn recently enough that the scars are still fresh for both sides. Svirfneblin Twice as hideous as they are fiendishly clever, the dark gnomes are accepted into Khythn with open arms and many closed doors. Their expertise with all manner of magical experimentation and "science" as they call it is more than welcomed. But no self-respecting Khythian would dare call a Svirfneblin a friend to anyone but other Svirfneblin. Assuming they were able to befriend a dark gnome in the first place, of course. Darkfolk Threats